Just Like Magic

Just Like Magic follows Bettie Hughes, who finds herself facing a crisis during the holiday season. After playing a Christmas song backwards, she accidentally summons Hall, a manifestation of the holiday spirit who appears in her apartment. During his unexpected visit, Hall helps Bettie navigate family pressures and personal challenges. Their growing connection forces Bettie to confront her past decisions and current lifestyle, particularly as she prepares to attend her wealthy family's annual Christmas gathering. The story combines romance and magical realism, placing everyday modern struggles against a backdrop of holiday enchantment. Hall and Bettie's relationship evolves while they tackle both supernatural situations and realistic family dynamics. The novel explores themes of authenticity, self-acceptance, and the sometimes complicated nature of family relationships. Through its blend of fantasy and reality, the story suggests that personal growth can arrive in unexpected forms.

Readers call this a quirky holiday romance that blends Christmas themes with magical realism. Many cite the humor and banter between characters as highlights, with several reviews noting they "laughed out loud." The unconventional premise and character development earned praise. Likes: - Creative spin on holiday romance tropes - Chemistry between main characters - Well-paced emotional growth - Unique magical elements Dislikes: - Some found the premise too far-fetched - Several readers said the story dragged in the middle - A few noted the humor felt forced at times - Some wanted more character backstory Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (17,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (3,800+ ratings) StoryGraph: 4.1/5 (2,900+ ratings) "Perfect balance of sweet and spicy" - Goodreads reviewer "The magic worked for me but the romance fell flat" - Amazon reviewer "Funnier than expected but loses steam halfway through" - StoryGraph reviewer

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✧ This holiday romance features "Holiday Magic," a unique version of the Christmas spirit who appears when the main character plays Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" backward on vinyl ✧ Author Sarah Hogle wrote this novel during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to escape the heaviness of reality and create something joyful ✧ The book explores themes of social media influence and authenticity, reflecting modern pressures of maintaining a perfect online presence ✧ The protagonist, Bettie Hughes, is named after the iconic pin-up model Bettie Page, reflecting the character's vintage aesthetic preferences ✧ The novel incorporates elements of magical realism while tackling real-world issues like family dynamics, financial struggles, and personal identity